San Antonio Metropolitan Health officials say the 21 pop-up vaccination clinics held at Fiesta events netted just 155 vaccinations - an average 7.38 people per clinic held. The lackluster turnout came as the city is trying to reinvigorate vaccination efforts.

The City of San Antonio and the Spurs Sports & Entertainment will partner for two COVID-19 vaccination drives amid a push for more arm jabs.

City staff presented the Public Safety Committee with an update of the police services review that began last year in response to numerous protests and calls to change policing in San Antonio.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said 1,073,367 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 834,259 are fully vaccinated. He said more than 50% of the local population is now fully vaccinated.

The Fiesta San Antonio Commission has issued its 2021 COVID-19 metrics and safety protocols.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said 969,499 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 749,957 are fully vaccinated.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in the Monday night briefing.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported that Bexar County has recorded its lowest COVID-19 positivity rate ever, at 1.9%, which is the lowest in the state of Texas.

San Antonio city officials announced that a drive-thru option for the COVID-19 vaccine is now available.

Claude A. Jacob was selected after a national search, city officials announced on Friday.

The City of San Antonio has announced that local vaccine providers will stop administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control recommended to pause inoculations due to blood clots.

Nirenberg reported 601,272 first-dose COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, and 376,814 people are fully vaccinated.

Calling it a “dire situation” for herself and others like her, White became panicked at the idea of Texas opening its eligibility to all Texas adults this week. Then on Monday, hours after the state expanded eligibility to millions of Texans ages 16 and older, she finally left a desperate voicemail at Hill Country Memorial and got her callback. The move by the state to open eligibility triggered efforts in some cities to preemptively increase options for those who might fall through the cracks in the crush of newly eligible recipients. “Quite a few things have come together to make this the right time to open up vaccine eligibility,” Garcia said. Cities have responded to issues of vaccine inequality by prioritizing vulnerable Texans and Black and Hispanic residents.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio seniors will soon be able to sign up for a vaccine registry, which could make it easier for them to get an appointment. The San Antonio City Council members present voted unanimously Wednesday afternoon. AdIt could take three to four weeks to develop and open up the registry, Bridger said, which the city will develop with Health Access San Antonio (HASA), a local, health information organization. So Courage, along with District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran and District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, called for a special city council meeting to address it again. “Once ready, the registry will make it significantly easier for residents 65 years and older to obtain a vaccine appointment.”

SAN ANTONIO – Recent vaccine analysis shows 58% of Bexar County residents 65 years of age and older and 30% of residents age 16 or older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. San Antonio Assistant City Manager Dr. Colleen Bridger attributed the numbers to Metro Health and community partners reaching out to vulnerable populations to make sure residents had access to vaccine appointments, educational information and are connected to resources needed. “We are very proud of the collaboration that has taken place with all vaccination providers here in Bexar County to ensure the health of our residents. We will continue our pursuit of having over 70% of our population vaccinated by the end of the summer to achieve a safer and healthier community. Our fight against COVID 19 is not over, but we are making really great progress,” said Dr. Colleen Bridger, Assistant City Manager.

SAN ANTONIO – With all Texans 50 years old and over now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the pool of people anxiously looking for appointments has grown larger. On Tuesday, one alternative will come up again - the creation of a vaccine registry or waitlist. The city council’s Community Health and Equity Committee is scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday. While a vaccine waitlist is not on the official agenda, it is expected to be discussed. The District 9 councilman brought up the registry idea at least twice in February city council meetings.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Monday night. Nirenberg reported 196,816 total COVID-19 cases and 2,670 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 288 new cases as of Monday. City officials also reported that 464 patients are hospitalized, 199 are in the intensive care unit and 110 are on ventilators. Nirenberg said the positivity rated has dropped to 5.6%, down from 7.5% last week. AdThe COVID-19 Risk Level is now “mild.”COVID-19 Risk Level: 3/1/21 (COSA/Bexar County)Dr. Colleen Bridger, assistant city manager and interim Metro Health director, says the city doesn’t expect the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to arrive until at least next week.

SAN ANTONIO – Anyone scheduled to receive the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Alamodome on Tuesday will be rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 25, at the same time because of a delay in the shipment of the vaccines, city officials announced on Monday. “Due to last week’s winter weather, vaccine shipments across the United States have been delayed,” said Dr. Colleen Bridger, assistant city manager. “We understand that some may be concerned about the extended time between their second dose but we are within CDC guidelines to ensure the vaccine will still work with no issues. If you have questions, you can email COVID-19@sanantonio.gov or call the COVID-19 Hotline at (210) 207-5779. In addition to Tuesday’s appointments needing to be rescheduled, most of last week’s appointments were rescheduled.

FILE - In this May 27, 2020, file photo, visitors to the River Walk pass a restaurant that has reopened in San Antonio. Abbott’s order, some Bexar County businesses are now able to increase their occupancy to 75% after coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have continued to decrease over the last week. Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced in Friday’s coronavirus briefing that area hospitals have dropped under 15% of total COVID-19 hospitalization rates for seven consecutive days. The city of San Antonio has 8% of available beds and 61% of available ventilators. Abbott’s order, as San Antonio and Bexar County “is no longer considered an area with high hospitalizations.”For more information, visit the city’s website at covid19.sanantonio.gov.

SAN ANTONIO – The NCAA officially named San Antonio host of the 2021 Women’s Division I basketball tournament to be held throughout March and early April. San Antonio city officials and the NCAA worked for months to determine the logistics of hosting the tournament in a single region. Official team travel parties with a maximum of 34 individuals will arrive Tuesday, March 16, and Wednesday, March 17, in San Antonio. The University of the Incarnate Word, the University of Texas at San Antonio and San Antonio Sports will serve as hosts for the 2021 Women’s Final Four. The Alamodome hosted the Women’s Final Four in 2002, 2010, and the 2011 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Final Four.

Courage used the opportunity to once again call for a citywide, central registry for which residents could sign up and be notified when it’s their turn to get the shot. Currently, residents must try to call or register online at each of the individual vaccine providers whenever new doses become available. A central registry, Courage argued, would help residents feel secure in the knowledge they’d eventually be in line to get vaccinated. Ad“We need to be able to reassure them that they will be contacted by call or email when their time comes to receive the vaccine. They’ll know where to go, they’ll know when to go and what to be prepared for when they get there,” Courage said.

SAN ANTONIO – Due to a delay in the city of San Antonio receiving a shipment of the Pfizer vaccine, scheduled appointments at the Alamodome for Monday, Jan. 18 will be pushed back, according to city leaders. The shipment has been delayed from the manufacturer, which is Pfizer. We ask for your continued patience.”The date of the rescheduled appointments could be subject to change, depending on when the delayed shipment is received, according to city officials. For now, all other appointments that are scheduled for later in the week are not affected by the delay. RELATED: Here’s how to register for the COVID-19 vaccine in San Antonio when appointments are available

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and WellMed have each received 9,000 more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Metro Health, which received a shipment of the Pfizer vaccine, will begin booking appointments Friday for the Alamodome next week. To avoid the overwhelming rush of residents seeking appointments that occurred with the first series of Alamodome appointments, the City of San Antonio will make appointments available on a rolling basis. The registration system will continue to reopen as appointments become available due to cancellations. WellMed received 9,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine for distribution next week.

San Antonio – City officials say the bottleneck in providing COVID-19 vaccinations to Bexar County residents continues to be the supply of vaccine doses. Bridger said that describes about 60% of Bexar County residents. Not all of those who got slots may even be Bexar County residents, though. It’ll just take a little bit of time.”Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff have asked Gov. Though all the mass vaccination slots are currently filled, a Metro Health spokeswoman said residents should continue to check the city’s vaccination site.

SAN ANTONIO – More than 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines were administered on the opening day of the Alamodome mass vaccination site Monday. San Antonio officials say they are more than confident the vaccination site will administer 9,000 vaccines by the end of the day Saturday. City officials were provided a tour of how the vaccination site will function. “My hope is that we have 30,000 doses a week,” Bridger said. “We started with one big testing site and then three big ones and then micro testing sites.

SAN ANTONIO – Registration to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the Alamodome’s mass, no-cost COVID-19 vaccination site is currently full, according to the city’s website. The 9,000 available slots for next week were taken within six minutes of registration opening, according to city officials. Only 1,500 eligible residents per day can receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and the vaccine clinic officially opens on Monday. But, city officials reassured those who are unable to register that more vaccine doses will be on the way in the coming weeks. We’ve reached out to city officials for more insight on the vaccine registration and we’ll bring more updates as they become available.

SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio will begin mass distributing Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to those who are eligible starting this week. The city is converting the Alamodome into a no-cost mass vaccine site, starting Monday. The site will be in operation Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. but registration to receive the COVID-19 vaccine is currently full, according to the city’s website. “The vaccination site at the Alamodome is an important step forward in our fight to eradicate the pandemic. This site will accelerate the vaccination process and help us provide protection for San Antonio residents as soon as possible,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg in a statement.

To reduce the risk of false-negative results, the FDA says COVID-19 test administrators must perform the test in accordance with its authorization and as described in the FDA’s Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers, which can be accessed by clicking here. A negative result does not exclude the possibility of COVID-19,” the FDA says on its website. Curative tests are used at a number of the city’s testing sites. San Antonio Assistant City Manager and interim Metro Health Director Dr. Colleen Bridger said the city testing sites use Curative tests only for symptomatic people. “Per the FDA’s emergency use authorization of these tests, the City has been using Curative tests for symptomatic individuals.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported an increase of 1,170 new COVID-19 cases and nine new deaths.

SAN ANTONIO – Demand for the COVID-19 vaccine is far outpacing supply in Bexar County, even as a majority of the region is already be eligible to be vaccinated. About 60% of the Bexar County population is estimated to fall into that second group, said Colleen Bridger, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District’s interim director and the city’s pandemic incident commander. And while the state data, which lags behind the actual situation on the ground, shows 31,026 of the 73,050 doses have been administered in Bexar County, that doesn’t meant the rest are up for grabs. University Health is advising patients not to show up at the vaccination site, as each person must be prescheduled. H-E-B , which had dozens of Bexar County pharmacies receive vaccine shipments, posted , which had dozens of Bexar County pharmacies receive vaccine shipments, posted an update Sunday stating its pharmacies had either already administered or scheduled the doses received so far.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District is continuing to work with state and local leaders to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. As of Tuesday, the Bexar County area received approximately 50,000 doses of the vaccine, and more than 31,000 people in the county have been vaccinated, according to Metro Health. “The remaining 40,000 doses of the initial 90,000-dose allocation for Bexar County is expected to arrive within the next week,” Metro Health said in a statement on Wednesday. However, early in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, there will be a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine. Supply will increase into 2021.”The COVID-19 vaccination plan for Bexar County can be found on the COVID-19 Portal.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Wednesday night. Nirenberg reported 115,685 total COVID-19 cases and 1,538 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,323 new cases as of Wednesday. City officials also reported that 1,136 patients are hospitalized, 331 are in the intensive care unit and 165 are on ventilators. Wolff received his COVID-19 vaccine today at University Hospital. Dr. Colleen Bridger, assistant city manager and interim Metro Health Director, said there are currently 90,000 COVID-19 vaccines allocated for Bexar County.

SAN ANTONIO – Dr. Steven Argumedo is saddened by how hard the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the West Side where he grew up and the South Side where he now works. “It was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen, unfortunately,” the lifelong San Antonian told KSAT at the WellMed Primary Care Clinic where he works. The three city council districts that represent the south and west sides of San Antonio - 3, 4, and 5 - have the three highest COVID-19 case rates and, combined, make up almost half of the city’s deaths - 568 out of 1,188 through November. Interim San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Director Colleen Bridger echoed the link to underlying health issues. “What we’re seeing is a leveling out across the city - of, you know, the north half of the city is catching up with the south half, rather than the south half slowing down.”So whatever side of the city you live on, you still need to take precautions.

San Antonio Metro Health has gone through several changes in the past few months. SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health Department finds itself undergoing another transition during the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Sandra Guerra, who had served as Metro Health’s interim deputy public health director since October, also stepped down from that post and is now helping Metro Health in a part-time role. Since April, amid the greatest public health crisis in a century, 181 state or local public health leaders have resigned, retired, or been fired. Collectively, the loss of expertise and experience has created a leadership vacuum in the profession, public health experts say.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Nirenberg reported 89,940 total COVID-19 cases and 1,406 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,294 new cases as of Tuesday. City officials also reported that 646 patients are hospitalized, 220 are in the intensive care unit and 114 are on ventilators. The school COVID-19 risk level is “high.” Dr. Junda Woo, medical director of the Metropolitan Health District, issued an amended health directive on Tuesday with guidance for public and private schools. View the health directive below or click here:

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in the daily briefing Monday night. Nirenberg reported 88,196 total COVID-19 cases and 1,397 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,210 new cases as of Monday. Nirenberg says the positivity rate has increased to 15.7%, up from 9.2% last week. The overall COVID-19 risk level remains at “moderate.”Kurian says since the hospital stress score has remained static, it has kept the risk level at “moderate” for this week. “If you want to stay open, then you should contact TABC” to be able to serve food, Wolff said to bar owners.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reported 86,986 total COVID-19 cases and 1,397 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,021 new cases as of Sunday. Two new deaths were reported today. The city’s total case count includes 70 backlogged cases. There were also 18 backlogged deaths reported, ranging from July 10 - November 15. City officials also reported that 576 patients are hospitalized, 204 are in the intensive care unit and 105 are on ventilators.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reported 85,895 total COVID-19 cases and 1,377 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 694 new cases as of Saturday. One new death was reported today. City officials also reported that 576 patients are hospitalized, 208 are in the intensive care unit and 104 are on ventilators. COVID-19 Update - December 5 576 in the hospital battling this disease. Please keep them and... Posted by Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Saturday, December 5, 2020As of Friday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the case numbers are expected to increase next week, as that’s likely when the city will see the impact from Thanksgiving.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in the daily briefing Friday night. Nirenberg reported 85,201 total COVID-19 cases and 1,376 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,316 new cases as of Friday. Four new deaths were reported today. City officials also reported that 587 patients are hospitalized, 207 are in the intensive care unit and 126 are on ventilators. Nirenberg said the South Texas Blood Bank is in dire need of blood donations and is urging San Antonians to donate.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in the daily briefing Thursday night. Nirenberg reported 83,885 total COVID-19 cases and 1,372 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 760 new cases as of Thursday. City officials also reported that 593 patients are hospitalized, 198 are in the intensive care unit and 104 are on ventilators. There were 74 new admissions to the hospitals in the last 24 hours.

SAN ANTONIO – Dr. Colleen Bridger, assistant city manager of San Antonio and the Metropolitan Health District’s interim director, has notified City Manager Eric Walsh that she will be leaving her post in January. Bridger had initially planned to leave the city in mid-July to launch a private consulting business. However, she took over as interim director of Metro Health after director Dr. Bridger had served as Metro Health director between March 2017 and July 2019 before being appointed assistant city manager. Walsh issued the following statement after the announcement of Bridger’s departure:“Colleen has done an outstanding job while facing extraordinarily challenges.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Wednesday night. Nirenberg reported 83,125 total COVID-19 cases and 1,371 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,499 new cases as of Wednesday. Nine new deaths were reported today. City officials also reported that 580 patients are hospitalized, 192 are in the intensive care unit and 103 are on ventilators. The mayor also urged people to donate blood as there is a dire need for blood during the pandemic.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Nirenberg reported 81,626 total COVID-19 cases and 1,362 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 452 new cases as of Tuesday. Wolff said there are currently 76 COVID-19 patients from El Paso in San Antonio hospitals. The school risk level is currently at “moderate.”School Risk Level: 12/1/20 (COSA/Bexar County)Eric Cooper, CEO and president of the San Antonio Food Bank, said his organization is serving 120,000 people each week.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Monday night. Nirenberg reported 81,174 total COVID-19 cases and 1,357 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,117 new cases as of Monday. City officials also reported that 587 patients are hospitalized, 182 are in the intensive care unit and 99 are on ventilators. The positivity rate is at 9.2%, down from 10% last week. Wolff has said he would close bars again if the positivity rate is 10% for two consecutive weeks.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reported 80,057 total COVID-19 cases and 1,357 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 888 new cases as of Sunday. No new deaths were reported. The total case count also includes a backlog of 758 cases, according to health officials. Health officials also reported that 582 patients are hospitalized, 178 are in the intensive care unit and 96 are on ventilators. A curfew for San Antonio is still in effect, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. that will extend through Monday, Nov. 30.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reported 78,411 total COVID-19 cases and 1,344 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,661 new cases in three days. According to Mayor Ron Nirenberg, 812 new cases were reported on Nov. 25, 220 cases were reported on Nov. 26, and 629 cases were reported Saturday, totaling 1,661 new cases. A curfew for San Antonio is still in effect, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. that will extend through Monday, Nov. 30. They may continue to offer drive-thru, curbside or takeout service once the curfew begins after 10 p.m.Click here to learn more about the curfew. There was no city coronavirus briefing on Thursday or Friday of this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Wednesday night. Nirenberg reported 76,750 total COVID-19 cases and 1,343 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,032 new cases as of Wednesday. City officials also reported that 543 patients are hospitalized, 175 are in the intensive care unit and 88 are on ventilators. Watch the recorded briefing in the player below, or click here if you’re reading KSAT’s coronavirus newsletter:Mayor & Judge COVID-19 Briefing: Nov. 25, 2020 We will be live for today's briefing from Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff to discuss the latest developments in the COVID-19 situation. Tune in Monday – Friday at 6:13 p.m. Posted by City of San Antonio - Municipal Government on Wednesday, November 25, 2020

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Nirenberg reported 75,718 total COVID-19 cases and 1,337 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 1,127 new cases as of Tuesday. City officials also reported that 513 patients are hospitalized, 173 are in the intensive care unit and 86 are on ventilators. School Risk Level: Week of 11/24/20 (COSA/Bexar County)The school risk level is “moderate” this week.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Monday night. Nirenberg reported 74,591 total COVID-19 cases and 1,335 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 709 new cases as of Monday. City officials also reported that 509 patients are hospitalized, 171 are in the intensive care unit and 80 are on ventilators. Nirenberg said the COVID-19 risk level for the area is moderate, with a 10% positivity rate. COVID-19 RISK LEVEL - 11/23/20 (COSA/Bexar County)The mayor is also urging people to donate blood.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Metropolitan Health District officials reported 73,882 total COVID-19 cases and 1,335 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 567 new cases as of Sunday. No new deaths were reported today. However, a backlog of 17 deaths, ranging from July 8 - Nov. 6 and 272 deaths reported by other health officials were added to the total number in the county. City officials also reported that 492 patients are hospitalized, 165 are in the intensive care unit and 84 are on ventilators. There are 14% of staffed beds available and 67% of ventilators available.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Metropolitan Health District officials reported 72,805 total COVID-19 cases and 1,318 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 492 new cases as of Saturday. Two new deaths were reported today. City officials also reported that 466 patients are hospitalized, 148 are in the intensive care unit and 66 are on ventilators. There are 10% of staffed beds available and 70% of ventilators available.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Thursday night. Nirenberg reported 71,377 total COVID-19 cases and 1,309 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 483 new cases as of Thursday. City officials also reported that 440 patients are hospitalized, 153 are in the intensive care unit and 65 are on ventilators. He also said there are currently 61 COVID-19 patients from El Paso in San Antonio hospitals.

SAN ANTONIO – The city of San Antonio’s Metropolitan Health District wants to keep people informed when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, which is not yet available. In its effort to educate and inform Bexar County residents about vaccine developments, Metro Health even created a COVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Committee. Early in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, there will be a limited supply of the vaccine, health officials said, adding that supply will increase into 2021. Once a COVID-19 vaccine is approved for distribution, Metro Health will follow CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services’ recommendations on vaccine allocation and priorities and will update the local plan accordingly, as needed. To keep the community informed about the changing situation, Metro Health and community partners will host virtual town halls to answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Wednesday night. Nirenberg reported 70,894 total COVID-19 cases and 1,307 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 366 new cases as of Wednesday. He also said there are currently 68 COVID-19 patients from El Paso in San Antonio hospitals. The mayor says Metro Health has published a COVID-19 vaccine distribution informational website, where people can find out more about the plans the city will follow when the vaccine becomes available.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Nirenberg reported 70,528 total COVID-19 cases and 1,304 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 292 new cases as of Tuesday. He also said there are currently 67 COVID-19 patients from El Paso in San Antonio hospitals. He said the community would have to work harder to get the positivity rate down.

SAN ANTONIO – The COVID-19 Community Response Coalition (CRC) on Tuesday offered Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff recommendations for bars if the community positivity rate is equal to or exceeds 10% for two consecutive weeks. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported Monday that the area’s positivity rate increased 1% percent since last week and is now at 9.4%. If the positivity rate continues to increase at that pace, bars could be closed again as early as the first week of December. The county says there are currently 2,009 bars and restaurants with alcohol permits that are allowed to open under Texas Gov. The CRC says since the county is already close to reaching a 10% community positivity rate, taking action sooner would slow down the spread.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Monday night. Nirenberg reported 70,236 total COVID-19 cases and 1,301 total deaths in Bexar County, an increase of 194 new cases as of Monday. Wolff said there are currently 66 COVID-19 patients from El Paso in San Antonio hospitals. COVID-19 Risk Level for San Antonio area || Week of 11/16/20 (COSA/Bexar County)Open enrollment assistance information from the City of San Antonio (COSA)

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Assistant City Manager and interim Metro Health Director Dr. Colleen Bridger and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Friday night. Bridger reported 69,404 total COVID-19 cases and 1,293 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Friday, an increase of 390 new cases. Bridger said cases across the U.S. are spreading three times faster than in the San Antonio area due to the COVID-19 precautions the community is taking locally. She said there are currently 62 COVID-19 patients from El Paso in San Antonio hospitals, an increase of one patient since Tuesday.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Assistant City Manager and interim Metro Health Director Dr. Colleen Bridger and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Thursday night. Bridger reported 69,014 total COVID-19 cases and 1,287 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Thursday, an increase of 301 new cases. City officials also reported that 353 patients are hospitalized, 129 are in the intensive care unit and 62 are on ventilators. She said there are currently 61 COVID-19 patients from El Paso in San Antonio hospitals.

Bridger reported 68,367 total COVID-19 cases and 1,285 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Tuesday, an increase of 332 new cases. City officials also reported that 306 patients are hospitalized, 128 are in the intensive care unit and 57 are on ventilators. She said there are currently 61 COVID-19 patients from El Paso in San Antonio hospitals. Bridger says Mayor Ron Nirenberg is self-quarantining after he came into contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19. The mayor has taken a COVID-19 test and is awaiting the results.

Assistant City Manager and interim Metro Health Director Dr. Colleen Bridger and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Thursday night. Bridger reported 64,014 total COVID-19 cases and 1,232 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Thursday, an increase of 207 new cases. City officials also reported that 209 patients are hospitalized, 89 are in the intensive care unit and 42 are on ventilators. Twenty-five bars out of 425 in Bexar County have indicated that they are reopening under Judge Wolff’s order. Read more on this executive order here.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Assistant City Manager and interim Metro Health Director Dr. Colleen Bridger and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Wednesday night. Bridger reported 63,807 total COVID-19 cases and 1,232 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Wednesday, an increase of 213 new cases. Two new deaths were reported today. City officials also reported that 200 patients are hospitalized, 90 are in the intensive care unit and 43 are on ventilators.

Speaking at the Thursday nightly briefing, Metro Health Chief of Epidemiology Rita Espinoza said the asymptomatic cases will now also be listed as “probable” cases in the city’s COVID-19 statistics. Without one, though, they weren’t recorded as a case, and no contact tracing efforts were conducted. The group recommended all antigen positive lab reports be counted as “probable” cases and investigated the same. A positive result from one of these tests is enough to consider a case “confirmed,” under state definitions, compared to the “probable” label that positive antigen test results get. “That means that you can count on a positive test being positive,” Gude said.

San Antonio – As the city of San Antonio prepares for the eventual rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine, it will use flu season as a sort of dry run. Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger, who is the city’s lead for the COVID-19 response, told city council members in a Wednesday briefing that the city plans to use some of its mass flu vaccination clinics as a “pilot test” of future, mass COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The city plans to hold at least one mass flu shot clinic in each quadrant of the city, Bridger said. “We are working with local, state and federal partners to make sure that every time somebody turns around, they have an opportunity to get a flu shot,” Bridger said. On the other hand, the city isn’t likely to be doing mass COVID-19 vaccinations soon.

SAN ANTONIO – This week, the City of San Antonio is offering free COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic residents in Bexar County. Now, the city has been able to expand testing with a partnership between BioBridge Global and Community Labs. The city’s testing sites, the Ramirez Community Center and the Cuellar Community Center, will offer the testing on Tuesday, according to a news release. The free tests will run from Oct 13 to Oct 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.No doctor’s appointment or insurance will be needed to get the test, city officials previously said. Nasal PCR tests have been approved by the FDA for testing of asymptomatic individuals.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Nirenberg reported 57,677 total COVID-19 cases and 1,135 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Tuesday. He said there were 262 new cases and 207 backlogged cases tested between Sept. 15-23. “Despite this batch of cases, our progress and warning indicators remain moving in the right direction. Wolff said Bexar County will be providing local schools $3.5 million, and the state will match that amount to go toward getting students connected to online learning services.

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Friday night. Nirenberg reported 54,195 total COVID-19 cases and 1,073 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Friday, an increase of 224 new cases. Nirenberg corrected a statement he made during Thursday’s briefing that antigen tests were only being counted in San Antonio and one other county. Dr. Colleen Bridger, interim Metro Health director and assistant city manager, said the state’s counts for deaths and school COVID-19 cases are higher than the county’s because they are not independently verified.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Nirenberg reported 50,131 total COVID-19 cases and 1,019 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Tuesday, an increase of 115 new cases. City officials also reported that 228 patients are hospitalized, 105 are in the intensive care unit and 47 are on ventilators. Dr. Colleen Bridger, interim director of the Metropolitan Health District and assistant city manager, said Bexar County is not affected by the state’s changes in COVID-19 reporting since the county independently verifies its own cases. Three more sites will open on Election Day in addition to those sites, he said.

SAN ANTONIO – This year’s cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are now spilling over into 2021 as San Antonio’s MLK Commission has voted to forgo the annual march and is planning a virtual-only event. Dr. Keely Petty, MLK Commission Chair, said the decision ultimately came down to the safety and well-being of the thousands of people who attend the march. She said the idea behind going virtual-only was in part inspired by how the Democratic and Republican National Conventions were held and said she did not want to delay the decision. San Antonio’s MLK March is one of, if not the largest march in the country with hundreds of thousands of participants. The MLK Commission is a volunteer organization that promotes equality and racial harmony and takes the lead on events paying tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Watch: Hundreds of thousands of people march in San Antonio’s 2020 MLK March:

SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Nirenberg reported 47,736 total COVID-19 cases and 979 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Tuesday, an increase of 193 new cases. City officials also reported that 304 patients are hospitalized, 134 are in the intensive care unit and 81 are on ventilators. COVID-19 Risk Level for week of Sept. 8 (COSA/Bexar County)

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District will differentiate between current cases of COVID-19 and recent virus-related deaths from cases and deaths older than 14 days, city leaders said in a press release Friday. Starting Sunday, the daily reported data will only include current new cases and deaths. All cases and deaths, including those recently added but older than 14 days, will be included in the data on a weekly basis. The change in reporting is based on the following new guidance to local health departments from the Texas Department of State Health Services:So that state and local COVID-19 data will most accurately reflect the current situation in your community, we encourage you to report cases arising from older testing as backlogged cases, and more recent cases as new. This will help us ensure that estimates of active and recovered patients are as accurate as possible.

SAN ANTONIO Most Bexar County schools are beginning the school year with remote learning, but questions remain about how districts and school systems will report positive student or staff member COVID-19 cases when in-person instruction returns, which could be as soon as Sept. 8. Earlier this month, San Antonio Metro Heath updated its directive that issued guidance on how public, private and other school systems should report any positive COVID-19 cases. Any time we have a positive case at a school, we report it to Metro Health and we send out a letter to that school. NISD spokesperson Barry Perez said the district was still seeking clarification from Metro Health on guidance related to posting positive cases on the districts website. During Tuesday nights COVID-19 briefing, Metro Health Director Dr. Colleen Bridger was asked how the department would enforce schools posting COVID-19 positives on their websites.

SAN ANTONIO – After discrepancies appeared between state and local numbers on COVID-19 deaths, Metro Health is now releasing the number of deaths under investigation along with the number of COVID-19 deaths confirmed by the local health agency. The disparity popped up in late July when the Texas Department of Health Services changed its reporting method on counting COVID-19 deaths, much to the frustration of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. Before, the state agency relied on local health departments to verify COVID-19 death reports. Now, all deaths marked with COVID-19 as a cause of death on the death certificate are automatically added, leading to a sudden jump in the state’s numbers. As of Monday, Metro Health confirmed 455 COVID-19 deaths in Bexar County, while 327 deaths are under investigation.

San Antonio Duplicate entries and out-of-county cases were behind the San Antonio Metropolitan Health Districts removal of 619 COVID-19 cases from Bexar Countys running tally over the weekend. While the city reported 524 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the running tally actually dropped by 95 cases, from 41,177 on Saturday to 41,082 a 619 case swing when including the new cases. Most of the 619 cases removed on Sunday were duplicate entries, Bridger said, stemming from multiple reports for the same cases. An automated computer process rounds about 2,500 duplicate entries before they were ever reported as part of the citys tally, Bridger said. While the duplicates the data team found by hand make up the majority of the 619 removed cases, Bridger said a small number were also cases that turned out to not be Bexar County cases.

SAN ANTONIO Public health departments across the nation have been criticized in some form over its response to the coronavirus pandemic, including the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. There have been concerns over whether Metro Health hired enough case investigators and contact tracers at the beginning of the pandemic to track the spread of COVID-19 in Bexar County. Health officials work to trace COVID-19 cases in San AntonioSo, at the beginning of this second spike, it was taking us about seven days to complete the case investigation process. Bridger agrees that some of the criticism is well deserved.And we have modified our response in order to better, you know, take that criticism into account and make us better, Bridger said. WATCH: Part 2 of Bridgers interviewRELATED: Metro Health to issue amended health directive to reopening schools

Swift remains the county’s HHS director and it appears he assumed Emerick’s former role for a time, as he is also listed on the county’s website as its interim public health director. The Defenders found a media release from last month naming a new public health director for the county, however. When Bridger requested something from Emerick, Emerick would either say “it was a dumb request or that she couldn’t do everything” asked of her. “Multiple employees expressed concern about Dawn being rude, condescending and demeaning of (epidemiological) staff on calls with multiple people,” Bridger wrote. “There is also a glaring deficit in her ability to understand and explain epidemiology and public health science,” Bridger wrote.

SAN ANTONIO – Newly released emails from former Metro Health Director Dawn Emerick and Assistant City Manager Dr. Colleen Bridger revealed a dysfunctional relationship between the two city leaders as San Antonio was battling a COVID-19 pandemic. In Emerick’s email to HR Director Lori Steward five days before her resignation, Emerick hinted as much. “There is also a glaring deficit in her ability to understand and explain epidemiology and public health science,” Bridger wrote. Bridger agreed to put off her resignation indefinitely and serve as interim Metro Health Director while the city finds a replacement. Emerick wanted the city to adopt a resolution similar to one approved by the Dallas City Council, Bridger wrote.

SAN ANTONIO – The group that helped place Dawn Emerick at the head of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District will help find her replacement after her quick departure. Dawn Emerick stepped down as director of Metro Health on June 25 following documented friction between her and her supervisor, former Metro Health director and current Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger. Because Emerick’s resignation came within that window, the firm will launch the search for her replacement free-of-charge and help fill her position. She remains at Metro Health as deputy director over the community health division. I remain extremely proud of my equity work during my short time at Metro Health.

Emails detail feud between former San Antonio Metro Health director, assistant city managerPublished: July 21, 2020, 5:02 pmFive days before San Antonio Metro Health Director Dawn Emerick resigned from her post, an internal email revealed a conflict between Emerick and Assistant City Manager Dr. Colleen Bridger.

SAN ANTONIO – Five days before San Antonio Metro Health Director Dawn Emerick resigned from her post, an internal email revealed a conflict between Emerick and Assistant City Manager Dr. Colleen Bridger. Emerick had surprised city officials when she submitted her resignation, which was accepted on June 25 by City Manager Erik Walsh. City protocol is that employees include their supervisors in communications with the City Manager,” Bridger wrote, according to Emerick’s email. Dr. Bridger has implemented significant and overdue improvements in her three weeks since taking over as director of Metro Health. READ MORE: Metro Health Director wants person of color to replace her, per resignation letter

SAN ANTONIO A surge in COVID-19 cases has led to a surge in deaths, according to a New York Times analysis. In 17 states across the country, death rates have been increasing since June 1, the numbers showed. In Texas, the number of deaths per day is up 307% since June 1. The statewide death toll hit a new peak on Thursday, when the state reported 154 new COVID-19 deaths. Like other cities across Texas, San Antonio has been experiencing a coronavirus surge since June.

SAN ANTONIO Harlandale ISD teachers gathered Sunday afternoon at Harlandale Memorial Stadium to voice their concerns on returning to school in the fall as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the area. The president of the Harlandale Education Association said they are asking for flexibility to do 100% remote learning until its safe to return. We want our governor... to know that you cannot put a time stamp on life, on us to return to school. Theres no way that our students should be accountable for STAAR at this moment, said Julie Gimbel, president of Harlandale Education Association. A health directive issued Friday by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District said school districts in San Antonio cannot reopen schools for on-campus, face-to-face instruction until after September 7.

SAN ANTONIO On Thursday, officials reported an eye-popping 5,501 more COVID-19 cases in Bexar County, 601 of which surfaced today, while the rest were backlogged. San Antonio saw a third straight day of declining COVID-19 hospitalizations on Thursday. San Antonio officials came under fire Thursday after the Texas Department of State Health Services removed nearly 4,000 probable cases from Bexar Countys tally. Probable cases do not mean maybe cases of COVID-19, said Dr. Colleen Bridger, interim director of Metro Health. Antigen tests are FDA approved, and positive tests are highly accurate.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Here are a few of the highlights:Nirenberg reported 21,067 total COVID-19 cases and 201 total deaths in Bexar County , as of Tuesday, an increase of 854 new cases. City officials also reported that 1,237 patients are hospitalized , 417 are in the intensive care unit and 260 are on ventilators. Bridger added that another facility was interested in also allowing COVID-19 patients within the next week, and some facilities want to establish wings for coronavirus patients. Track daily spikes in COVID-19 cases in San Antonio, Bexar CountyMORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FROM KSAT:

San Antonio Bexar County superintendents are awaiting more details from the Texas Education Agency to see if they will get additional flexibility with their back to school plan this coming fall. We are not ready to come back to school full speed on the days theyre scheduled to open, Nirenberg said. Local leaders are looking to see how the situation changes in August to get a better sense of when it might be safe to reopen school buildings. Metro Health Director Colleen Bridger says theyll work with local districts if state leaders dont respond to the requests for more online learning flexibility. The Texas Tribune reports that Governor Greg Abbott indicated Tuesday that directives from the TEA with more time for online learning, rather than the three weeks previously mandate would be announced soon.

SAN ANTONIO Bexar County officials on Wednesday announced 479 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total case count to 21,546. The deadly virus also claimed seven more lives, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said during nightly coronavirus briefing. Overall, COVID-19 hospitalizations slightly decreased on Wednesday, but intensive care unit numbers went up. Interim Metro Health Director Colleen Bridger said the health agency would not unilaterally make that decision without consulting with school districts. Many school districts have already delayed in-person instruction, which Texas Gov.

SAN ANTONIO The Federal Trade Commission is warning people about a new scam involving people who pretend to work as COVID-19 contract tracers for health departments. Here is how you can spot the scam:Real contact tracers wont ask you for money. Contract tracers wont ask you for your Social Security number. Real tracers wont ask for your immigration status. Metro Health Interim Director Dr. Colleen Bridger said the city is also working on a COVID-19 text messaging system for contact tracing.

SAN ANTONIO The pandemic has restricted resources for the homeless, and a local nonprofit has stepped up to fill the need. And now that particular population has fewer and fewer resources, said Dawn White-Fosdick, president and CEO of Christian Assistance Ministry, a nonprofit that helps the homeless. Theres just an array of resources that people need who are homeless, White-Fosdick said. City leaders know there is a need, and they are working on expanding resources and outreach efforts for the homeless population. So thats another 500 spaces for homeless individuals that are freed up in our existing shelters, Bridger said.

SAN ANTONIO Editors Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Tuesday night. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff says 25% of patients in local hospitals are coming from outside of the county. Dr. Ian Thompson, with CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, said the nurses brought in from outside of Bexar County have been absolute lifesavers. Track daily spikes in COVID-19 cases in San Antonio, Bexar CountyMORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FROM KSAT:

SAN ANTONIO The City of San Antonio announced Sunday that its free COVID-19 testing sites will only test people experiencing symptoms. Starting Monday, July 6, all people wishing to be tested at San Antonio testing facilities must be experiencing virus symptoms in order to be tested for free at city-operated locations. The city-operated locations including the following: Freeman Coliseum, Kazen Middle School, and the Cuellar Community Center. Assistant City Manager Dr. Colleen Bridger said the no-cost testing centers are intended for patients who may not have insurance or a primary care provider. RELATED: Where you can get tested for COVID-19 in San Antonio, Bexar County

SAN ANTONIO The July 4th weekend could impact the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Bexar County. RELATED: How to celebrate Independence Day safely during a pandemicHe said they dont know exactly where they contracted the virus. Metro Health Interim Director Dr. Colleen Bridger shared a heartbreaking story during a COVID-19 update on Thursday. If you dont live with a person, you should assume they could be carrying the virus, said Bridger. RELATED: Coronavirus update San Antonio, July 3: Bexar County sets record high of 1,334 COVID-19 cases in one day

SAN ANTONIO San Antonio health officials are advising that not all COVID-19 tests yield accurate results. In its COVID-19 tally for Bexar County, Metro Heath includes confirmed cases with PCR tests and positive results from antigen tests. Antibody tests, or serological tests, help identify who has been infected with or exposed to COVID-19. While the Texas Department of State Health Services includes antibody counts on its dashboard, Vigil said Metro Health is not required to report antibody tests to the state. She added antibody tests may not be reliable, and those tests may lead people to believe theyre immune when they may not be.

SAN ANTONIO A San Antonio city official tells KSAT that Tuesdays COVID-19 case numbers are extraordinarily high compared to any numbers in the past. 6 charts explain COVID-19 surge in San AntonioIts already been a week of records for San Antonio and Bexar County. On Saturday, Metro Health recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases in a single day with 795. The surge in cases prompted city leaders to send out an emergency alert over the weekend warning of the rapid spread of COVID-19 and urging people to stay home. Where you can get tested for COVID-19 in San Antonio, Bexar CountyDaily COVID-19 cases in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO San Antonio leaders have delegated an interim Metro Health director for the time being after Metro Health Director Dr. According to a spokesperson for Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Dr. Colleen Bridger, assistant city manager, will take over as the interim Metro Health director until someone else is hired into the position. I have full confidence in Dr. Bridger and the Metro Health team in its ongoing management of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said City Manager Erik Walsh. Dr. Bridger will continue serving as the assistant city manager and will oversee her current departments: Parks and Recreation, Human Services and the Office of Equity. Read also:Metro Health director resigns as COVID-19 cases surge in San AntonioMetro Health Director wants person of color to replace her, per resignation letter

SAN ANTONIO – The outgoing Metropolitan Health Director in San Antonio wants a person of color to replace her, she wrote in her resignation letter. “These are very extraordinary and unpredictable times and for many families, it’s even been a bit traumatizing,” Emerick wrote. Emerick was preceded by Dr. Colleen Bridger, who is now an assistant city manager in San Antonio, though Bridger also has plans to resign in July. “While staff, community members and residents, have warmly embraced me, it’s time for the City of San Antonio to appoint a person of color to lead one of the largest public health departments in the country,” Emerick wrote. Emerick wrote that her last day on the job will be July 3.

SAN ANTONIO – The woman charged with overseeing the city’s health strategy, Metro Health Director Dr. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg praised Metro Health, saying their vital work will continue. Before she was assistant city manager, Bridger oversaw Metro Health since March 2017. San Antonio Assistant City Manager Dr. Colleen Bridger to resignWalsh issued a statement on the resignation Friday morning:“Last night, I received a letter of resignation from Metro Health Director Dr. Dr. Bridger and I will work with my team to develop a plan going forward.”

SAN ANTONIO The COVID-19 pandemic has some victims of domestic violence suffering in silence, but you can be their life-line. KSAT12 will be airing a KSAT Community Domestic Violence Town Hall, Friday from 2 to 3 p.m. along with a resource phone bank with San Antonio Metro Health. If you are unable to speak safely, you can log onto the National Domestic Violence Hotline website or text LOVEIS to 22522. The presence of guns in the house is associated with five times greater risk of domestic violence homicide. To learn more about domestic violence, visit San Antonio Metro Healths website.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Friday night. Here are a few of the highlights:Mayor Nirenberg reported 5,962 total COVID-19 cases and 96 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Friday, an increase of 412 new cases. Hospitalizations are also on the rise and city officials also reported that 322 patients are hospitalized, 101 are in the intensive care unit and 50 are on ventilators. This means that those that are showing up for COVID-19 testing, 19% of those tests are positive for the virus. Bridger said with all of the reopenings across the state, officials expected to see a climb in COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations.

San Antonio – Some of the most vulnerable members of our community have no place to take shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic. Haven for Hope CEO Kenny Wilson says exceptions will be made for families with children, veterans and a few through selected targeting outreach. The City of San Antonio is also leading an effort to help the high number of people who are on the streets. In the next few days, the city plans to launch a hotline to help people reach social services. Both Haven for Hope and the city are looking at what funds are available federally and at the state level to help with homelessness.

Concerns over the new coronavirus are leading to two different plans here at home — one at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland and the other for the City of San Antonio. A group of people who were in China and potentially exposed to the coronavirus will arrive in San Antonio on Thursday and be housed at Lackland, which is one of four coronavirus quarantine zones in the United States. While the feds will handle what’s happening on base, assistant city manager Dr. Colleen Bridger is giving us a look at the city’s plan. She said the screening will look for symptoms or high-risk developing symptoms for the new coronavirus. If they pass the screening, those travelers will have to provide their contact information and must check in with Metro Health once they arrive in San Antonio.